Mention of the American Old West outlaw, the Sundance Kid, invariably calls to mind his equally infamous partner in crime, Butch Cassidy. Few people realize that another member of their gang was a beautiful, mysterious woman who went by the pseudonym of Etta Place. The consort of Sundance appeared out of nowhere, and her fate after her lover’s demise has long been one of the Old West's most intriguing riddles. Now, in this first biography of Etta Place, D. J. Herda lifts the veil of secrecy surrounding her. It is a tale as wild and daring as the men she ran with.
— Ken Lizzio
D. J. Herda’s comprehensive research of this historical figure brings to life an old saying with a twist: Behind every good outlaw is a great woman! What a story. Etta was surely the star of the show. She was so elegant and “proper” even through the worst of times.
— Sheryle Bauer, author, The Devil in the Deal
No one knows to this day where Wild Bunch gang member Etta Place came from. But history records her riding with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, whom she “married.” When the heat from local law enforcement and the Pinkerton Detective Agency got too hot to handle, the three sailed to Argentina to begin life anew as ranchers. But within a few years, Butch and Sundance were dead, Etta had disappeared once more, and the rumors began to swirl. What a headstrong and intelligent woman. And what a story! A great read for anyone interested in the Old West and true-life mysteries.
— Paula Favage, author, The Mynah’s Call
A woman with no beginning and no end. That’s Etta Place in a nutshell. She broke onto the stage in her early twenties and departed a scant decade later. In between, she captured the heart and soul of a nation, just as author D. J. Herda captured her spirit. A stunning and revelatory work of relentless investigative reporting and superb, rich narrative.
— Don Bacue, former executive editor of International Features Syndicate